Work What You Got by Stephanie Perry Moore Page B

two lines can get me a cake first.”
    The other ten girls got together and headed for the door. “But before you guys can do anything, I want one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups and one hundred jumping jacks from everybody.”
    We huddled together. The other group was starting their push-ups. Already we were behind.
    â€œSorry you guys, my fault. How we gonna do all this and beat them?” Bea said, looking down.
    I tapped her on the back as I said, “Well, can anybody draw?”
    Trisha raised her hand. She went to her jean backpack and pulled out a drawing pad and showed us all some clothes she sketched. She even had colored pencils. The rest of us were amazed.
    I said, “Girl, you came ready. You’re so good. Okay, draw the prettiest cake you can think of. We need to break up in groups. Some of us do push-ups, some do jumping jacks, while the rest do sit-ups. Let’s put Trisha in the middle.”
    Fifteen minutes later, we were done. The other group had just left. Bea stood and went over to Keisha.
    Keisha said, “What? You just gonna hand me something and not address me?”
    Bea didn’t look her in the eye. “What am I supposed to call you?”
    â€œBig Sister Mean Machine,” Keisha said, as she rolled her eyes and neck.
    Bea said, “Big Sister Mean Machine, we’ve done our push-ups, our sit-ups and our jumping jacks, and here is your cake.”
    â€œY’all may not be the coolest looking bunch, but y’all sure got sense,” Keisha told us.
    Edythe and Penelope, whom we hadn’t seen the whole time we’d been in the place, came up to us and smiled. We heard the cheers from the Betas, who wore Alpha chapter emblems. The Betas from University of Southeastern Arkansas were upset at the poor performance of their line.
    One Beta that was from the other school said, “Keisha, dog their tails out when they come back, embarrassing us like this. Give it to them.”
    Big Sister Mean Machine said, “Oh, you ain’t got to worry. No scrub trying to get my letters will be shown up that easily. We just asked them to think. If they can’t use their brains now, then I know they won’t be able to use them later.”
    I was so terrified. What was she planning to do? Surely she was all talk and no action, right?
    When the other girls came back with a cake from Publix, Keisha cut it and roughly stuffed a piece in each of their mouths, lightly pushing it back as far as it could go.
    Suddenly, we heard coughing. Bea hit me and pointed at this girl that was having a tough time. The pledge started choking, and the Betas got scared. They just fled the room. Girls from her line swarmed around her. Some chick from my line started praying out loud. Trisha and Bea ran over and got water from a vending machine.
    â€œI don’t know if I want any part of this,” Lanna called out.
    The looks on all our faces reflected our horror and confusion. Cries and screams echoed from the room. I think we all knew we weren’t supposed to be participating in this unsanctioned activity, and now we knew why. We were just starting this pledge stuff. How could the Betas just bail and leave someone choking? None of us were doctors. This was seriously brutal.

5
    GIFT
    â€œ W e’ve got to get Katie to a hospital and get her checked out,” I said to all of the girls on the underground lines with me.
    Everyone stepped back to give her room. Trisha got on her cell and tried to call 911. A girl on her line rushed over and knocked the cell out of Trisha’s hand.
    â€œNo, no. We can’t take her to a hospital,” she said. “The Betas would get in trouble and we would never be able to be on line.”
    I wanted letters, but not at the expense of someone dying. This was insane. Trisha shoved the girl out of the way and picked up her phone, ready to make the call.
    Thankfully, one of the girls on the University of Southeastern